BILL NUMBER: ACR 92	CHAPTERED  09/20/99

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   121
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 20, 1999
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   SEPTEMBER 9, 1999
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   SEPTEMBER 7, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Papan
   (Principal coauthor:  Senator Burton)
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Ashburn, Baugh, Calderon, Campbell,
Cardenas, Dutra, Granlund, Hertzberg, Keeley, Kuehl, Lempert,
Leonard, Machado, Mazzoni, Reyes, Scott, Shelley, Thomson, Torlakson,
Villaraigosa, Vincent, and Wesson)
   (Coauthors:  Senators Costa, Johnston, Murray, O'Connell, Perata,
Polanco, Sher, and Vasconcellos)

                        SEPTEMBER 2, 1999

   Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 92--Relative to gambling
prevalence survey.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 92, Papan.  Gambling prevalence survey.
   This measure would express legislative support to conduct a
gambling prevalence survey.




   WHEREAS, According to a gambling industry-funded 1997 survey by
the Harvard Medical School Division of Addictions, there were 15.4
million adult and adolescent problem and pathological gamblers in the
United States at that time; and
   WHEREAS, The National Opinion Research Center national survey of
adult Americans last year found there are an estimated 20.5 million
pathological, problem, or at risk gamblers in the nation; and
   WHEREAS, In a study completed a few months ago, the National
Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences described
pathological gambling as follows:
   "Pathological gamblers engage in destructive behaviors:  they
commit crimes, they run up large debts, they damage relationships
with family and friends, and they kill themselves.  With the
increased availability of gambling and new gambling technologies,
pathological gambling has the potential to become even more
widespread"; and
   WHEREAS, Only one limited California gambling prevalence survey
(1990) has been previously undertaken which interviewed 2000
California adults, and that estimated there were about 500,000
problem and pathological gamblers, even before the substantial
increase in marketing and gambling venues during the decade; and
   WHEREAS, A scientific, objective survey will establish the
dimensions of this problem in California so that the Governor, the
Legislature, and the public can make informed decisions; and
   WHEREAS, A prevalence survey would provide information about the
number of problem and pathological gamblers and their characteristics
in the general population, and that information would help ensure
that services for problem gamblers are privately or publicly funded,
developed, and maintained at appropriate and adequate levels; and
   WHEREAS, A reliable estimate of problem and pathological gamblers
can be developed if the survey uses a problem gambling screen based
on the most recent psychiatric criteria for pathological gambling;
and
   WHEREAS, The survey should also include social and economic impact
questions to understand consequences that affect the lives of
gamblers, family members, friends and communities; and
   WHEREAS, The data collected would help the Legislature and the
Governor to educate the public, as well as treatment professionals,
gambling regulators, and others, about the likely impacts of changing
mixes of gambling on participation and on gambling rates; and
   WHEREAS, There are at least a half dozen highly professional
research firms capable of doing a valid survey that would be
unimpeachable; and
   WHEREAS, The selection of a qualified research firm to undertake a
gambling prevalence survey could be greatly assisted if one
experienced scientist were selected as a consultant to guide the
development of a research proposal; now, therefore be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature supports conducting a
gambling prevalence survey to be undertaken this year that includes
interviews, in the 6,000 to 7,000 range, of residents 18 years or
older, and be of size and sample design to detect differences in
subgroups in the population at greatest risk for gambling problems;
and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature intends that a sum in the $500,000
to $750,000 range, drawn from existing resources, be used to fund
such a survey; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
